Stowing, loading, and launching of boats from ships.



J. G. SNELLING. STOWING, LOADING, AND LAUNOHING OF BOATS FROM SHIPS.APPLICATION FILED JUNE 12, 1913. 1, 1 25,1 97 Patented Jan.19,1915.

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HE NORRIS PETERS co. wHaTauTHo WASHINGTON, D. c.

J. C. SNELLING.

STOWING, LOADING, AND LAUNOHING 0F BOATS FROM SHIPS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 12, 1913.

Patented Jan. 19, 1915.

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JG/Swelling,

TIVESSS.

THE NORRIS PETERS CQ. PHOTO-LITHO.. WASHINGTON, D. C

J. 0. SNELLING.

STOWING, LOADING, AND LAUNGHING OF BOATS FROM SHIPS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 12, 1913.

1 125 197. Patented Jan.19,1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

W/TNESSES. v I S //v vg/vro THE NORRIS PETERS c0, PHOTO-LITHQ. WASHINGroNv D. c.

arena semen.

JOHN CHARLES. SNELLING, or WANDSWORTH, ENGLAND.

sTowING, LOADING, AND LAUNGHING or. BOATS neon: SHIPS.

Application filed June 12, 1913 Serial No. 773,268.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, JOHN CHARLES SNEL- LING,a subject of His Majesty the King of England, residing at VVandsworth,in the county of Surrey, Kingdom of England, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in or Relating to the Stowing, Loading, andLaunching of Boats from Ships, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to improvements in the stowing, loading andlaunching of boats from ships or vessels at sea.

One objectof the invention is to provide improved means for launchingthe boats from'either side of the ship at will, so that they will reachthe water at a safe distance from the side of the ship.

' Another object is to provide an arrangement whereby more boats may bestored in such a manner that they will require fewer men to attend tothem while being launched.

Further by my invention a more effective control is obtainable over thelaunching of the said boats; and in addition allthe boats are availablefor launching irrespective of the'inclination of the ship.

[Referring to the accompanying drawings which show one method ofcarrying this invention into practice, Figure 1 is a longitudinalelevation of a sliip,,partly in section; Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof,showing two boats in position and two removed. Fig. 3 shows the lowerend of the derrick drawn to an enlarged scale and partly in section witha threaded double drum reeiving a pair of ropes. Fig. 4 is a pro posedplan view, of a control station with the crane removed. Fig. 5 shows anenlarged view of the yoke piece, and Fig. 6 shows a means ofstrengthening or guying the crane against wind and other pressures, orrolling.

In carrying out my invention the required number of boats a may bestored in any part of the ship within range of the launching gear butpreferably in a well or wells 6 in the upper decks of the shipthusgiving a clear View from the side thereof and the well is shown as soarranged that the boats when stored therein extend crosswise of theship. They are stored alongside and above one another and as shown reston swivel or removable racks or beams 0 across the well 11 in the, deck.These racks arev pref- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J an. 19,1915.

erably mounted upon a column or columns d and are capable of being swungaround clear of the path of the lower boats as shown in Fig. 2 so thatthese can be filled with pas sengers and launched in turn; thus, byenabling all. to get readily seated, much confusion is avoided.

The boats are raised and lowered intur by a derrick e, the arm ofwhichis preferably of tubular construction and, as shown in Fig. 3, could bemounted upon a table 1 operated by a suitable motor 2, (Fig. 4). Whileonly one derrick would generally be employed in launching the boatssuccessively, more may be provided if desired. The derrick or derricksare placed midway of the width of the ship so as to swing to either sidethereof, thus bringing the life boats lengthwise-of the ship because inthe stored position they extend crosswise of the ship.

The derricks 6 would be mounted on the highest part of the deck adjacentto the funnels or masts f and each derrick,where more thanone isemployed would then form a separate launching gear although operated bythe same engine or dynamo 9. Means may be provided for manuallyoperating the gear in case ofan accident, or the standby engine Itcould'be used.

By the use of derricks instead of the usual launching gear larger boatsranging from forty to sixty feet can be used with convenience The boatsare preferably provided with detachable wheels at at each end working invertical grooves a to prevent end movement in storage and serve asguides when launching. The operating gear for the derrick 6 consists ofa wire rope 7' preferably attached to the funnel or mast f in the mannershown in Fig.1; its lower end passing into the control box on a highpart of the deck where it is attached to a drum 7a which is controlledby a suitable motor Z. The gear for'one or more derricks may becontrolled from the control boX by one or more'of the competent membersof the crew who is thus out of reach of all possible excitement andtherefore in a position to handle the boats in themost expeditiousmanner. The raising'and lowering gear for the boats consists of a pairof ropes m, 11, preferably passing through the tubular derrick arm andoperated by an internal combustion engine or motor 0 placed in a raisedposition so as to be entirely independent of the other machinery andcapable of running until the last possible moment.

The derricks are provided with crossheads or arms 79 g at their tops'for worl ci 'n g the pair of lines or ropes m 92. These lines or ropesare connected at their ends to a yoke piece 1" and in the control box jthey are wound on to a common drum or on to av pair of drums 8 dividedin their center and preferably provided with opposed threads to insurethat they are simultane ously wound thus the yoke piece is kepthorizontal during operation. The yoke pieces 1" are provided withsliding bolts or hooks t preferably controlled by a rack it formed onthe bolt, and acting in conjunction. with a. quadrant v on a commonoperative lever w so that the boats which are held thereby near each endmay be released from. both ends. at once.

If desired, electrical apparatus. can be at tached. to the ends. of. thebolts, so that. a.

signal. light could be operated automatically in the control stationonthe release ofa boat from the yoke piece.

Affixed to the. head of the derricks and operated. by dynamos connectedto the launching engines are powerful lights pro-- vided in such a waythat they illuminate the operationswhen used at night. By the removal ofthe yoke pieces the derricksmay be. used for other operations such asloading the ship, thereby insuring their maintenance in working order.

hen not in use the derricks may stand vertical with the funnel or mast,or in a lowered position as shown in Fig. 1. In each case they arepreferably provided with crutches m for extra support and the yoke piecewith chains attached rest on a rack or may be attached to an emergencyboat, which can, by the above described method, be launched while. thevessel is still under way with the crew aboard the small boat. It willtherefore be understood that the boats could be launched fordrillingpurposes whileat sea.

To provide for the extra strain of the derricks 0n the funnels the staysof same. are strengthened so that some can be removed to allowsufficient room for the swing of the boats. Extra support for thederrick is also derived from an. endless guy rope y attached to theupper part of the derrick and passing under the deck from side to sideof the ship as shown at z in Fig. 6.

It is intended that all the boats should be of the high powered motortype; should this not be so'it would be advantageous thatthe first to belaunched should be high powered boats so that when the other boats arelaunched they could takethem in tow. This arrangement has in view the.efficient man.-

6 agement of the greater number of lifeboats which would require moreseamen than are now carried. Therefore as this invention provides thatmany I'nore lifeboats can be carried than formerly by the employment ofthe motor boats, fewer men are required in the lifeboats thus making theinvention a complete method or system of saving life at sea.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent ofthe United States is l. A. ship provided with. a well for the storage oflife. boats, said well having superposedv racks therein for the; supportof life boats and each rack being constructed forv movementout ofthe-path of a life boat supported on the next lower rack or racks, and.means for. lifting the life boats from the well.

2. A ship provided with a well for the storage of. life. boats, saidwell having superposed racks therein for the support of life boats andeachrack; being constructed for movement outlof the. path. of a lifeboat supported on the next: lower rack or racks, and means. for. liftingthe; lifeboats from the well, said means. comprising a derrick mountedon the. ship adjacent to the well and having! boat engaging, lifting andreleasing. devices, andso' related to the width ofthe. shipas to. movethe. boats from the well and lower them from either side of the ship.

3'. A ship provided withv a boat well having superposed racks-each.adapted for the support of a life boatand each rack being mounted formovement out of the path of life boats supported upon lower racks in thewell.

4. A ship provided witha storage well in the upper deck, said wellhaving columns therein. with racks thereon each mounted to be swung outof the path of boatssupported by lower racks on the same columns.

A ship provided with a storage well for life boats, said well containingsuperposedsupporting means for holdinga series of the life boats in.superposed order and said boats and well having coacting guiding meansat the ends of the boats and the corresponding parts of the well, andthe ship being provided with lifting means for the boats movable toeither side of the. ship for the launching of the boats.

6. A. ship having a. storageplace for life boats at the upper deck ofthe ship,.lifting means for the boats located on the upper deck of theship adjacent to the storage place and adapted to elevateand convey theboats free from contact with. the ship from the storage place to eitherside of the ship and from thence. deposit the boats in the water, and acontrol box for the lifting means of a size. to house. an operator andmachinery for operating the lifting means.

7. A ship provided at a high point intererating the lifting means, saidcontrol box mediate of the sides of the ship with a storbeing located onthe upper deck of the ship age place for the life boats of the ship, aadjacent to the storage place for the life 15 lifting device for thelife boats located adboats. jacent to the storage place on the upperdeck In testimony whereof I have hereunto of the ship and of a lengthand range of signed this specification this 22nd day of rpoii'emefnt toelevate thehlife bgats above the May 1913. tee is o the slip to e'it'er' si e of the shi and from thence'deposit the life boats in tilJOHl-q CHARLES SNELLING' Water free from the ship, and a control boxWitnesses: carrying the lifting means and of a size to J. C. ARMET,house an operator and machinery for op- FRANK BLAKEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, I). C.'

